Top Shelf Blues
by Master thief Gray Shadow
Summary: Futaba insists she can handle things herself, even when she clearly can't. Luckily Nana is there to catch her.


Who did this? Who put the goddamn Lucky Charms up on the top shelf? Futaba scowled, her arms folded as she stared upward at the box of cereal that had somehow ended up so far out of her reach. This was unfair. Discriminatory. Clearly it was an attack on her, personally. It was probably Claudine's fault, she was always pulling shit like this with her. _That girl is just hates short people, I swear._ Futaba stretched out her arm as she reached up once more, even though she knew the result wouldn't change. _Definition of insanity, huh? Then throw me in the crazy house._

"Do you need any help?" A familiar soft voice piped up behind her. Oh great, now Banana the giant had come to mock her and her troubles, fantastic.

"Nah, I'm good." Futaba was not good. Not good at all. She was getting hungrier by the second, the cereal was still outside her reach, and to make matters worse she now had an audience. A tall audience with slender legs that go on for miles. Because who else would be watching her try to retrieve something that normal people would have no trouble retrieving?

"Are you sure?" Futaba grit her teeth. Surely Nana was mocking her now. She wouldn't stand for it.

"I don't need any help, I've got this!" She said, briefly turning to face Nana. She put on her fiercest, most determined expression, but it seemed something had gotten lost in communication because Nana just smiled back serenely. Futaba turned back quickly to avoid having Nana see the blush that had somehow started forming on her face. "Why are you still standing there? I said I can do this by myself."

"I know, I know, don't mind me." _I absolutely fucking do mind,_ Futaba thought as she placed a hand on one of the shelves in front of her. She pressed down, testing its strength. _No! Bad idea Futaba! You remember what happened last time?_ She shuddered as she remembered Kaoruko standing over her, giggling to herself even as she held an ice pack to her bruised side. She rubbed the spot unconsciously. Then again, the thing that went wrong last time was that she just lost her footing. She looked back at Nana, who was still smiling. Still watching. Hey, as long as she kept her grip this time she'd be good. She'd show that Banana-chan not to underestimate the tenacity of Isurugi Futaba.

Futaba lifted one leg, resting the knee on the highest shelf it could reach, which was a little below her chest. She reached up with both arms, grabbing ahold of the shelf and pulling herself up. Success! Futaba grinned to herself. Wonder what the expression on Nana's face was like? Was she shocked? Impressed? Nana should be embarrassed, having underestimated her and all. Futaba pulled her other leg upward to rest it on the same shelf, leaving her clinging to the shelves in the pantry like a climbing wall. She could still feel Nana's eyes on her, so she'd just have to retrieve the cereal and hop down. Two more steps. She let go of the shelf with one hand as she made a grab for the cereal.

Oh shit.

There it was, that feeling of losing her grip again. Great, she fucked this thing up a second time. Once she healed from whatever injuries she was doubtlessly going to sustain from this incident Claudine was a dead woman. For now she just resigned herself to her fate and braced for impact.

Hm. She didn't remember impact coming this soon. Or being this comfortable.

"Careful, you could've really hurt yourself." It was at this moment that Futaba registered exactly where she had landed: right in Nana's arms. A scarlet blush broke out on her face as a million thoughts raced through her mind. When had Nana crossed the room? Ah, it probably didn't even matter, she just took one step with those _freakishly long legs_ of hers and suddenly she was miles away from her original position. That was tall people privilege, right? It then dawned on Futaba that she was being held like a princess by a pretty girl. Somehow the blush on her face managed to intensify as she looked at Nana's serene face, with those soft looking lips curled into a gentle, knowing smile. Futaba wondered if she tasted like bananas too...No, no! There was a time and place for gay thoughts and this was not it!

"Here," She heard Nana say. Nana set her down slowly and reached up and grabbed the box like it was right in front of her. She held it out for Futaba to take. Refusing to make eye contact, Futaba slowly reached out until her hand was just in front of the item, before quickly grabbing it and glaring at the tall, smiling, beautiful, _dashing_ girl in front of her. The glare was not very intimidating, as her face was still very red, but she had to put in some effort. "I guess you needed help after all, huh?"

"Y-yeah, well…" Futaba was at a loss for words. What was she supposed to say? 'Thank you for saving my life and getting my snack, you freakishly tall sexy beast'? God, if Kaoruko found out about this...wait, that's it! "Don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

"Got it, I won't tell Kaoruko-chan about any of this." Damn, how did this girl know exactly what she meant? It was freaky. Futaba reached into the box and pulled out a handful of cereal, which she stuffed into her mouth as she backed out of the pantry slowly. She kept her eyes on Nana, who just continued to smile at her. Damn, what a smile. Futaba swallowed before running off, now having some urgent business to attend to.

"SAIJOU CLAUDINE! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"


End file.
